Programme Specification: MPhil/PhD Social Policy
1. Awarding Body
2. Details of accreditation by a professional/
statutory body, e.g. ESRC; BPS etc
LSE
The Department is recognised by ESRC for +3
research training.
3. Name of final award
4. Programme Title
5. Duration of the course
6. Based in the Department/Institute:
7. Relevant QAA subject benchmark statements
8. Application Code
9. First written/last amended
MPhil/PhD
Social Policy
3-4 years (minimum 2)
Social Policy
N/A
Social Policy: L4ZA
November 2010 / November 2012
10. The programme aims to:
Provide students with the skills and competencies, and provide an environment that will enable them
successfully to undertake original primary research in the broad field of social policy.
11. Programme outcomes: knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes
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the successful completion of a thesis that consists of the candidate’s own account of his/her
investigations, the greater proportion of which shall have been undertaken during the period of
registration under supervision for the degree;
in the case of a PhD, form a direct contribution to knowledge of the subject and afford evidence of
originality by the discovery of new facts and/or by the exercise of independent critical power;
in the case of an MPhil, be either a record of original work or of an ordered and critical exposition of
existing knowledge and provide evidence that the field has been surveyed thoroughly.
12. Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and
demonstrated
Teaching and learning strategies
 in the first year, for MPhil students, teaching and learning is based in part on a seminar course
focusing on the nature of conduct of PhD research and presentation skills;
 in addition, students attend specialised methodology courses (in the Methodology Institute)
according to their particular requirements;
 throughout the programme all MPhil and PhD students meet regularly with their supervisor(s) to
discuss and gain feedback on their work.
Assessment strategies
 at the end of the first year (or second for part-time students) there is a formal upgrade process,
requiring the submission of a substantial piece of work as well as a viva, this leads to transfer, if
successful, to the PhD programme.
13. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules and awards
See the MPhil/PhD Social Policy programme regulations for more information.
Additional information
14. Criteria for admission to the programme
A good Master’s degree, preferably in social policy or public policy, together with a good upper second or
first class honours degree from a UK university or its equivalent abroad is normally required. Graduates
normally need a high merit or distinction, or equivalent at Master’s level, to be eligible for admission to the
doctoral programme.
15. Indicators of quality
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The School participates in the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) which provides
indicators of student satisfaction with various aspects of their research degree programme. Results
from this survey have been positive for the School.
Examiners’ reports from viva examinations are considered centrally within the School and provide
indicators on the quality of the research student experience and supervision quality.
The LSE Careers Centre website provides data on career destinations of LSE research graduates.
There is steady demand for the programme.
There are high entry requirements.
16. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standard of teaching and learning
Departmental mechanisms:
 the Department holds termly staff-student meetings at which student representatives from all
programmes are able to raise issues of concern. It takes forward suggestions and proposals coming
from that meeting;
 each programme in the Department has one or two elected student representatives who bring
issues of concern to the staff member with management responsibility for the Programme and to the
staff-student meeting;
 the Department has a Teaching Committee; part of its remit is to plan provision and support
innovation.
 The Department reviews programmes according to its own system of periodic review.
School mechanisms:
 TLAC Review of the Department once every five years.
 The Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) runs the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey
(PRES) and distributes results to departments. Survey results are considered by School
Committees (Research Degrees Sub-Committee & Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee)
as well as within academic departments. Any issues arising from the PRES would be addressed by
the appropriate body/department.
 Taught courses on MPhil/PhD programmes are included in the School’s internal student satisfaction
survey, where such courses are provided at the Masters’ level, as conducted by the Teaching
Quality Assurance and Review Office.
 The Methodology Institute offers methodological training across all MPhil/PhD programme and
transferrable study skills training courses are offered by the TLC for all MPhil/PhD students: this
central resource enhances the standard of teaching and learning for all research students across the
School.